I have some new ProCurve switches and GBICs that are replacing some older Dell PowerConnect switches.

I fired the new ProCurve up, all the lights go, even the ones on the GBICs, but when I patch my fiber cable (that is working fine on the Dell switch) into the new HP GBIC, I do not get a link or activity light.

I've tried swapping the fiber around and have even tried moving the GBICs to different ports to no avail.

If I telnet into the switch, it sees the GBICs inserted in the correct ports and if I remove one, it shows it as removed as well.

Any ideas?

Should mention the other end of the fiber goes into external trancievers, all of which are working fine with the older Dell gear.

Are you running the latest ProCurve firmware for your switch? Sometimes you need version X or higher to support some of the newer GBIC modules (even two of the same model GBIC can have different hardware revisions).

Check for firmware upgrades, youve already set the port 1000 full. How many gbics and switches do you have, is it possible to confirm they work in another device?

Failing the above it might be worth ringing hp and have a chat with them. Switches are normally very straight forward I always find if there not its normally something very obscure. I a had new 3com 5500 which I was trying stack last month. It would'nt do it, myself and an engineer from the company I purchased it from were stumped. After a few calls it turned out that it was due to them being manufactured in different countrys, a new software image had to be created.